Mysterious Creature from the Deep, Grilled

I love eating octopus: the chewy texture when it’s perfectly cooked, the way it resists and then submits to my teeth in every bite. But I have this fear of cooking octopus, a fear I’ll end up with a mass of unchewable rubber, and that my poor little sea friend will go to waste.

Information about preparing and cooking octopus is intimidating. Some people beat the hell out of it with a rock.

Step 1: Put your octopus in a large pot, cover with water by a few inches, bring to a boil over medium heat, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Step 2: Drain, transferring the octopus to a plate. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and some black pepper.

Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Step 3: Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high (450°F to 550°F), about 10 minutes. Place the octopus on the grill and cook it with the lid open until it chars on the bottom, about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Flip the octopus over and cook until it chars on the second side, about 5 minutes more. Done!

Step 5: Transfer the octopus to a cutting board. Chop into bite-size pieces and put them in a large bowl. Toss with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, some more pepper, and the juice from half of the lemon. Cut the other half of the lemon into thin slices and serve on the side.